nded, writhes with pain,
And dies among his worshippers."

The American people certainly felt that Truth was Brushed to Earth with
Lincoln's death, but believed that it would triumph.

FRANCIS SCOTT KEY (1780-1843)

Born in Maryland, he graduated from St. John's College, Md., and
practiced law in Frederick City, Md. He was district attorney for the
District of Columbia during the War of 1812 and while imprisoned by the
British on board the ship Minden, Sept. 13, 1814, he witnessed the
British attack on Fort McHenry and wrote this national anthem.

THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER

30. Why is this mentioned as our motto?

JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE (1795-1820)

The "Culprit Fay" is so much better than American poetry had previously
been that one is at first disposed to speak of it enthusiastically. An
obvious comparison puts it in true perspective. Drake's life happened
nearly to coincide with that of Keats.... Amid the full fervor of
European experience Keats produced immortal work; Drake, whose whole life
was passed amid the national inexperience of New York, produced only
pretty fancies."

--BARRETT WENDELL.

Born in New York, he practiced medicine there. He died of tuberculosis
at the age of twenty-five, and left behind him manuscript verses which
were later published by his daughter. "The Culprit Fay," from which
selections are here given, is generally considered one of the best
productions of early American literature.

THE AMERICAN FLAG

6. milky baldric: the white band supposed by the ancients to circle the
earth and called the zodiac. He may here mean the Milky Way as part of
this band.

46. careering: rushing swiftly.

47. bellied: rounded, filled out by the gale.

56. welkin: sky.

THE CULPRIT FAY

25. ising-stars: particles of mica.

30. minim: smallest. What objection may be made to this word?

37. Ouphe: elf or goblin.

45. behest: command.

78. shandy: resembling a shell or a scale.

94. oozy: muddy.

107. colen-bell: coined by Drake, probably the columbine.

114. nightshade: a flower also called henbane or belladonna. dern:
drear.

119. thrids: threads, makes his way through.

160. prong: probably a prawn; used in this sense only in this one
passage.

165. quarl: jelly fish.

178. wake-line: showing by a line of foam the course over which he has
passed.

193. amain: at full speed.